From Aristotle to Zeno, the intellect that was exuded during this period was so ahead of its time their ideas and principles still hold immense value to this day.

If you want to enhance your level of thinking, take note of the 7 Rules of Wisdom: 

1. Expand Your Horizons

The universe is much larger than the office cubicle.

Only those that dare to step outside of their comfortable homes will know what lies beyond the horizon.

Changing your surroundings, can change your thinking.

As Seneca said, “Look at the stars lighting up the sky: no one of them stays in the same place.”

If you really seek enhanced wisdom and personal growth you must step beyond your local boundaries, whether that’s relocating or traveling.

The further you go, the more you will gain.

2. Fool’s Gold | 7 Laws of Wisdom

The most foolish among us place their worth on their wealth and not on their value.

Money cannot buy wisdom and unchecked greed will destroy any person in time.

Epicurus, summed this up so simply. “If a little is not enough for you, then nothing is.”

Focus on building your intellect and virtue. Realize money is just a tool, not your score in life.

People who focus only on money allow their other faculties to crumble and any foundation built on sand, will soon see the sea.

3. Know What You Control

Marcus Aurelius was at one point the most powerful man on earth, despite his status he noted;

“You have power over your mind – not outside events. Realize this, and you will find strength.”

In the modern world anxiety and stress have become silent killers.

If you allow yourself to be overwhelmed by things that you have no control over, your life will end long before your death.

Accept what you can’t control and focus your power on what you can change, if you want to make real progress.

4. Kindness Counts | 7 Laws of Wisdom

Only the strongest and most intelligent people have the capacity for kindness.

Cato the Younger summarized “I begin to speak only when I’m certain what I’ll say isn’t better left unsaid.”

It takes a deep level of understanding to be kind to others, and it takes even more to be kind to those that don’t deserve it.

Getting angry with someone is easy, but holding on to anger is like drinking poison and expecting the other person to die, it will only harm you in the long run.

Not only is kindness better for humanity, it is a much wiser way to approach hostilities and life in general so always remember, kindness counts.

5. Value True Friendship

Friendship is one of the most beautiful things because you can only experience it if you put yourself on the line, open up and share the embarrassing parts of your story.

Cicero explained this emotional equation by saying; “Friendship improves happiness, and abates misery, by doubling our joys, and dividing our grief.”

The definition of friendship is a state of mutual trust.

So clear out the fake friends and focus on people that you can trust if you want to live your best life.

6. Sound Mind

If you live in any modern city, alcohol and drugs are never far away.

The scary thing about alcohol and drugs is that they actually work, they will actually help you escape pain, but escaped pain, never made anyone stronger or wiser.

As Pythagoras explained: “Strength of mind rests in sobriety; for this keeps your reason unclouded by passion.”

True freedom is only achieved by overcoming the struggle within, we all have difficult moments, some more than others, but overcoming these moments is where wisdom and strength is formed.

7. This Life Is Yours

The moment you accept that this life is your responsibility, that no one is coming to save you, that no circumstances are responsible for how you think.

You will begin to approach life differently.

“The first and greatest victory is to conquer yourself; to be conquered by yourself is of all things most shameful and vile.” – Plato

Things will go wrong, but blaming others or making excuses will only corrupt your own thought processes.

You can create any life you want when you choose to accept the responsibility of creating it.

It’s time to begin working on your greatest masterpiece. Your life.

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But what if I told you being an introvert could be a source of ultimate power and understanding.

Stay tuned for the following six points if you want to learn what incredible advantages introverts have and how you can learn from them to better yourself.

6 Superpowers Every Introvert Has (And How You Can Use Them Too) 

Number One: Understanding of Self

It’s no secret introverts tend to go through a much greater period of self understanding and even suffering as they struggle to understand their place in the world.

But what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger. It’s through this constant self analysis that introverts become interested in ways they can think more effectively.

They seek a deeper understanding of how their own mind works. Why they think the way they do, and how this correlates with the world around them.

Human potential is truly limitless and every effort to enhance your own cognition is a great investment.

No single human being has ever been able to comprehend the entire universe. So we should take note of the introverts diligence.

Perhaps with a deeper understanding of ourselves and each other the world could be a better place.

Number Two: Meaningful Purpose

When making a major decision introverts may take longer. This is because they carefully analyze every outcome before settling on a final decision.

Although this may seem time wasting, once a final decision is made introverts tend to stick with that choice through thick and thin.

In this way a simple philosophy can transform into a life purpose.

A once unsure individual can become an unstoppable machine working towards their vision of the future and their purpose in life.

This enables introverts to stick doggedly to a belief, long after others have quit. Creating results in areas others deemed impossible.

With this level of determination towards any outcome, truly anything is possible.

Number Three: Creative Force

As Albert Einstein said “The monotony and solitude of a quiet life stimulates the creative mind.”

Many of the greatest artists in history were introverts. Some were even so secluded that their brilliance was never fully revealed until many years after their deaths.

Less need for social interaction and a more introspective modus operandi enables introverts to go deep into the creative process.

If you want to create something groundbreaking, forget the world. Lose yourself in the process with no distractions.

This is where miracles are made.

Number Four: Powerful Connections

An introvert’s trust is hard to attain. Not only are they reserved in general, but they prefer more meaningful relationships over meaningless small talk.

Introverts aren’t as in need of small talk as extraverts, meaning the connections they forge aren’t built on trivialities.

They are built on trust, mutual understanding and shared beliefs therefore the bonds they create are much stronger.

Introverts know your best friend isn’t the one you have the most fun with.

It’s the one you can trust with your life.

Number Five: Working Alone

The single-mindedness of introverts drives them to take on challenges others wouldn’t normally attempt by themselves.

Many introverts have taken a single concept or idea and turned it into a hugely successful enterprise.

Of course human interaction is critical, but introverts tend to speak after their idea is in motion. Whereas extroverts often seek assurance from others beforehand which can delay or even suspend an idea that otherwise would of been incredibly successful.

So if you have an idea that you believe in. Trust your instincts and get after it. Most people play it safe so the more opinions you ask for, the more likely you’ll be talked out of what you are attempting.

Number Six: The Simple Life

For introverts a great book, a quiet space and a lack of unnecessary social interaction is like winning the lottery.

Get comfortable in your own skin first, if you want to have a happy existence. Learn what helps you be more productive and what doesn’t. As quite often the answer is more complicated than you originally assumed.

There really is no perfect formula, it’s up to you to understand what you do well and how you can use that to contribute to society, whether that’s to change the world for the better or to make money.

Whatever it is you want in this world, it’s all in your head. 

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As adults, many of us find ourselves in careers that make us feel like we aren’t being fully utilized.

What many don’t realize is that about 65 percent of the population learn visually.

Knowing if you’re a visual thinker can help you excel in every area and find more fulfilling life experiences.

Check out these signs to help you determine if you think visually.

1. You Have A Photographic Memory

Do you tend to remember things in pictures? If you can easily close your eyes and remember what your study guide looked like, recall what someone was wearing the last time you saw them, or envision how a favorite image looks, then you probably have a photographic memory.

This type of recollection means that you often remember small details that others overlook.

2. You Daydream More Often Than Other People

Visual thinkers tend to daydream more often than other people, and when they do so, it’s much more vivid. Your mind often goes into “overdrive,” creating intricate adventures that may or may not happen.

Maybe you and your best friend are imagining your perfect vacations. Perhaps your best friend says he or she is sitting on the beach with a drink. That might be as far as the daydream goes. For you, it will go much further. You’ll be able to imagine the color of the sand, what the waves look like as they lap against the shore, the type of drink you have, or even what your bathing suit looks and feels like.

Much like you remember more details than other people, you imagine more than they do as well.

3. You Plan Projects Differently

Some people look at Excel spreadsheets and feel at home; others simply see a mess of information.

If you tend to prefer large and colorful flow charts to lots of words and numbers, you probably think visually. Trying to cram yourself into the box of words or numbers-based project management tools may even stifle you and make you feel less productive, whereas using flow charts or other visual-based management and planning tools will provide you with a sense of motivation and help you to complete tasks more quickly.

4. You Are Easily Distracted

Sometimes, taking in a lot more detail than other people is an excellent trait; other times, it may leave you feeling distracted from the task at hand.

If you are someone who is easily pulled from one task to another, or who quickly looks up to take in a new sound or something you caught in your peripheral vision, visual thinking is likely your go-to.

Chances are you’ve had to train your brain to either ignore those things that catch your attention or to give them only a moment of your time so that you can get back to your task.

5. Your Digital Information Is Highly Organized

People who think visually tend to have “prettier” computer setups, digital media setups, and social media accounts. Your music files are probably organized alphabetically and without any special characters that look out of place. You probably use well-organized Facebook photo albums with attractive main images. If you have a Pinterest account, you put more thought into your board setup. Chances are you’ve put plenty of time into organizing them and creating attractive, eye-catching images for your main board.

6. You Doodle Often

Were you the one who always passed notes with plenty of little doodles in high school? Perhaps your college study notes include drawings, charts, and other imagines in addition to the written information.

Maybe you can’t easily provide oral directions to someone, but you can draw a map or show someone who to perform a task. You may even be able to create streamlined grocery lists based on your memory of the store’s layout.

These are all signs of visual thinking.

7. You Are Interested In Visually Interesting Careers

If the idea of sitting behind a desk and punching numbers into a computer all day sounds absolutely dreadful, you’re probably a visual thinker.

People who think visually often enter careers that involve the arts, design, construction, or other hands-on jobs.

Visual thinkers make excellent photographers, interior designers, graphic designers, and architects.

So, what did you learn? Chances are you’ve realized that you’re one of the millions of people who think visually. Now that you have a better understanding of how your brain works, you can use the knowledge to create more fulfilling and interesting experiences for yourself. How you use this information is entirely up to you!

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The sunk cost fallacy is common in our lives from something as simple as a person letting unworn clothes clutter their closet just because they’re expensive, to people holding on to stock even after it has lost value.

According to psychologist Daniel Kahneman, the sunk cost fallacy is commonplace because “organisms that placed more urgency on avoiding losses over maximizing opportunities were more likely to pass on their genes.” Therefore the possibility of losses is a stronger motivator than the likelihood of gains.

Some everyday fallacies are:

Employment and Business

In 1956, the Concorde project began intended to design a supersonic airliner. The last Concorde flight was in 2003 despite the project having run into prohibitive cost overruns as far back as 1976. The endeavor would later be known as the Anglo/French misadventure and would be renowned for the valuable business lesson it offers. In the same way, most individuals base the decision to keep the business running based on past investments even when the financial growth is uncertain.

In employment, most people stick to dead-end jobs as they don’t want to jettison the sunk costs in terms of raises, promotions, and offers.

Education

College students keep putting themselves into debt even when they are not making much headway in their degree. The argument is that they have to continue attending the “useless” classes as they have already paid and they don’t want their previous efforts going down the drain. This is despite the overwhelming evidence and massive student loan debt. Education is a powerful tool, but it must be used correctly.

Standing by Bad Decisions

A great example of standing by bad decisions as a sunk cost fallacy is cluttering your house with items you don’t need only because you spent money on them. Or you stick to complete a dreadful movie only because you spent money on tickets, or finishing an unpalatable meal. Sure, your money is gone but don’t allow it to bind you as you will only lose more.

Religious Sunk Cost Fallacy

As people grow older, most let go of their supernatural beliefs, but some cannot accept the loss of their religious investment. The clergy who have invested in theology are often predisposed to this but continue practicing despite inconsistent beliefs and overwhelming evidence against their ingrained teachings.

Relationships

People sticking it out in toxic relationships and broken marriages are the best example of sunk cost mindset. Partners invest a lot of time, money, and emotions, and can’t see themselves with someone else. They also don’t want to leave despite being in a position to and thus further entrenching their position.

How to Overcome the Sunk Cost Fallacy

1. In business, always ask yourself if you have a fighting chance, or it’s just a chance to fight. If it is the former, then go on, but if it is the latter, it might be time to pull the plug. Also, don’t make decisions based on previous investment but the financial viability of the business going forward.

2. Recognize that time, money, or any resource cannot be recovered, and it does not obligate you to continue investing in the future.

3. Realize sometimes the best decision is to quit. Though most perceive this as admitting failure, it is a sensible response when the goal is no longer viable. Keep working, but shift your focus.

4. In the words of Kenny Rogers, learn when to hold them and when to fold them. It takes more strength to admit you were wrong, there is no shame in making the best decision for yourself.

5. Finally, get the facts. There are instances where you want to stick it out in business or a career or degree but analyze the facts. Then make a decision based on the realities and not hearsay.

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If you answered yes, and you get frustrated with how much you procrastinate, don’t beat yourself up. Procrastination has been around much longer than you probably realize.

According to a Psychological Science article, procrastination isn’t something new and we can’t blame the internet either. Procrastination in one form or another has been mentioned in writing many times over the last few thousand years!

Side Effects of Procrastination

It’s human nature to procrastinate in some way or another. But when does it all start?

A 2007 study with college students found that 80 to 95% of them procrastinate on a regular basis.

In this study, “Researchers found that at the beginning of the semester, students who were procrastinators reported less illness and lower stress levels than non-procrastinators. This changed dramatically by the end of the term when procrastinators reported higher levels of stress and illness.”

Needless to say, you probably don’t need a scientific study to know that procrastination isn’t helping you achieve your goals in life. One of the best ways to fight procrastination is to break up big tasks into small, bite-sized chunks.

Once you’ve made tasks smaller, use the Pomodoro technique to help you get things done.

How to Use the Pomodoro Technique

So what is the Pomodoro technique?

It’s a time management method developed by Francesco Cirillo in the late 1980’s. The technique uses a timer to break down work into intervals, usually 25 minutes in length, followed by a short break.

The best part about this technique is that it’s simple and easy to do. All you need is a physical timer that you can buy on Amazon to get started.

While you can use your phone, I’ve found this leads to checking social media or email. A physical timer eliminates the chance of losing willpower and getting addicted to your phone.

According to their website, “The creator and his proponents encourage a low-tech approach, using a mechanical timer, paper, and pencil. The physical act of winding the timer confirms the user’s determination to start the task; ticking externalizes desire to complete the task; ringing announces a break. Flow and focus become associated with these physical stimuli.”

To get started, buy a timer, turn your phone on airplane mode and get to work on the stuff that will move your business and life forward.

Here’s how you can do it:

Step 1: Select a Task

Choose a task you’d like to get done. This could be big or small.

It could even be something you’ve procrastinated with but know that you need to get done. Choose something that needs 100% of your attention.

Step 2: Set the Timer for 25 Minutes

Make a promise to yourself that you will spend the next 25 minutes on a task and not interrupt yourself. No phone, notifications or email. 

Focus on staying present and engaged in your task at hand.

Step 3: Immerse Yourself

Immerse yourself in the task for the next 25-minutes with all notifications, texts, and emails out of sight. If you think of something you need to do unrelated to your tasks, write it down on a separate piece of paper.

Step 4: Take a Short Break

Once you’ve completed 25-minutes of deep work, take a break for about five minutes. Go on a walk, stretch, check your notifications, etc.

Step 5: Rinse and Repeat

Once your break is over, get back to the next important task. Every four Pomodoro’s, take a longer break of 20-30 minutes or more.

I’m confident if you use Pomodoro technique, you will end procrastination once and for all. This method is simple, easy, and know that it will help you do more so you achieve more in your life and business.

The post How to End Procrastination Forever: Pomodoro Technique appeared first on Fearless Motivation - Motivational Videos & Music.

We tend to judge success by the day.. Not seeing the bigger picture. A perfect example of not seeing the forest for the trees. We also tie our dreams to some external validation which will never be enough motivation to keep going. We set these huge goals without considering how long it will take achieve them, or acquire the new skills required to do so. Thus, we throw in the towel when things get difficult. The reasons why we give up are more subtle. Below are the reasons we give up, and how to counterattack..

We Give Up Because We Lack GRIT | Ways to Counter Attack

Ted Geisel’s manuscript was rejected by 27 different publishers; he almost burned it, but he tried one more time under the pen name Dr Seuss (this is GRIT). The rest, as they say, is history.

GRIT is the inner courage, and the determination to do whatever needs to be done despite the challenges. Most people lack this, often because we never had to get our hands dirty, and that’s why we give up.

To counterattack, you have to develop GRIT. Start by pursuing your interests, practice to be competent, connect with a higher purpose, cultivate hope, and get a gritty community.

We Give Up Because We’re Stuck In Our Comfort Zone | Ways to Counter Attack

A comfort zone is a situation where one feels safe and at ease. Most people give up as they are not comfortable with the uncertainty of being outside their comfort zones. However, growth and success are only possible when you step out of your comfort zone; when you can embrace feeling awkward when trying out something new. Sadly, most people are not willing to step out of their comfort zones.

To counterattack, start by recalibrating your reality; do everyday things differently. Next, take your time making decisions. Slowing down makes you uncomfortable, pushing you out of the zone. Finally, do it in small steps as it takes time.

Our Discipline Evaporates | Ways to Counter Attack

Discipline is doing the right thing for yourself despite the circumstances. It is practising self-restraint, pushing ahead even when it would be easier to give up. Most people who throw in the towel lack this tenacity. They give in to indulgences when restraint becomes difficult.

Cultivating self-discipline helps you counter the destructive habit of giving up. Start by eliminating temptations, eating healthily and regularly, change your routine, reward yourself for small accomplishments, and learn to forgive yourself.

We Give Up When We Don’t Believe It’s Possible | Ways to Counter Attack

Lack or loss of belief that our dreams can come true is a common reason why we give up. When starting, we have a faith that our dream is achievable; that is until we are faced with reality. The challenges, the obstacles, and the time it will take are belief-killers. And lack of belief is a dream killer.

However, these challenges should only strengthen your resolve — counterattack by first winning in your mind. Winning in your mind develops courage and resilience to succeed.

We Suffer A Lack of Focus | Ways to Counter Attack

Another reason why we give up, why we quit, is because we are easily distracted by new things. We lack focus. A dream or end goal requires attention; consistent attention, but the list of distractions is endless. From a new show to trying to make ends meet.

If you are easily distracted by impractical fixations, then there are no excuses. To go on the offensive, reduce your choices, and eliminate your distractions. If your reasons are more demanding, say to keep a roof over your head, try setting aside an hour or two a day to work on your goals.

The Fear of Failure | Ways to Counter Attack

Fear of failure is more like self-sabotage. It is rooted in fear of rejection by others (family and friends), and not in the failure itself. Furthermore, it’s is debilitating. It makes you stop taking chances and you doubt yourself. You result to doing things that are ‘safe.’ And thus give up on your dreams.

To overcome the fear of failure, visualise obstacles, think more appropriately, analyse all potential outcomes, and look at the worst-case scenario. Finally, have a contingency plan, and forget what people will think about you.

Loss Aversion | Ways to Counter Attack

Picture this; a colleague offers to flip a coin, if it lands on heads, she will give you $20. However, you will have to part with $20 should it fall on tails. Would you take the gamble? Probably not; the reward has to be twice the amount you will lose. This is loss aversion; that is, the psychological pain of losing is twice the pleasure of gaining.  

Most people give up as they don’t want to lose. Avoiding the worst-case scenario is seen as more beneficial than gaining.

You have to conquer the loss aversion cognitive bias and develop a will to win — mull over why you are hesitating and obliterate each of those obstacles.

Living in an Environment Filled with Negativity | Ways to Counter Attack

Negativity is harmful and contagious, and most people give up as negative Nancys surround them. Surrounding yourself with people with limiting beliefs will kill your dreams faster than any of the other reasons on this list.

To counter attack, you have to cut off toxic people and surround yourself with positive people.

Poor Time Management | Ways to Counter Attack

Not having enough time is an everyday excuse we come up with when asked why we gave up. Talk to some of your colleagues on why they gave up, and odds are lack of time will be one of the many defences.

However, it is poor time management and not lack of time. We will gladly binge watch a new show over working on our dreams. We spend time on pointless ventures, time we should spend acquiring new skills and working on our goals. To overcome, you have to set a schedule and stick to it. You have to prioritise and set boundaries.

We Get Tired of Repetitiveness | Ways to Counter Attack

To achieve your dreams, or acquire what you desire, you have to rinse and repeat everything you do daily. Think of striking an oak tree with an axe a thousand times. If you hit it in 1000 different places, you will not bring it down. But strike it a thousand times in the same spot, and you will bring it down.

Repetition reduces dopamine release, and you are no longer excited about what you are doing. Thus, you throw in the towel as you’re chasing excitement. However, we have to be comfortable with repetitiveness to get to our goals. Try changing how you perform the tasks to prevent the risk of boredom. Changing your workspace or working in a coffee shop or a shared workspace could help. Mix it up to maximise your results.

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Cognitive bias is the propensity to think in a way that defies logic. Daniel Kahneman and Amos Tversky discovered these biases in the 1970’s proving once and for all that humans are not logical creatures.

We could get bogged down in the scientific jargon but let’s look at the most common mental errors.

Survivorship Bias

Back in world war II, researchers studied planes that had come back from missions and suggested adding armor to the areas that were most damaged. However, Abraham Wald, a Hungarian Statistician suggested they add armor to the areas that had the least or no damage as only the planes that survived made it back.

The survivorship bias is popular online where we study successful sports stars and entrepreneurs. We listen to their inspirational stories ignoring the many others who did the same but never made it to the top. Focusing on the successful thinking that they know the way to the top is a misconception. We should also take time to study “failures” to avoid making the same mistakes.

Bandwagon Effect

A few years back, Quora removed the number of upvotes before clicking on an answer as people used to disregard answers with fewer upvotes in favor of popular solutions.

The bandwagon effect is one of the most common mental errors where the rate of uptake of beliefs or trends increases the more others adopt them. Though the bandwagon is not always incorrect, it limits our ability to work and think critically.

Moreover, we are more susceptible to wrong ideas.

Hyperbolic Discounting Mental Error

According to a 1998 study, we are more likely to choose unhealthy snacks for immediate choice than for future choice.

If you have ever opted for a smaller immediate reward over a greater reward later, you are a victim of hyperbolic discounting.

A lot of decisions involving our health, our finances, or our general wellbeing are subject to this mental error. Unfortunately, we are wired to choose sure thing rewards. Emphasize with your future self, and remember your tomorrow depends on what you do today.

The Availability Heuristic

Which is safer – driving or flying? High profile plane crashes may lead one to think that driving is more reliable than flying, but the statistics prove otherwise. You have a 1 in 114 chance to die in a car crash compared to a 1 in 9,821 possibility of dying in a plane crash.

The availability heuristic mental error is a shortcut where people use immediate examples that come to mind when evaluating a topic. We tend to think that something that we recall is important over other solutions that aren’t readily available. Thus, resulting in us making ill-advised decisions.

Confirmation Bias

Another commonplace mental error is confirmation bias. Also known as wishful thinking, the confirmation bias is the mistake that occurs when we give priority to information that confirms a pre-existing belief over that that doesn’t support the theory.

Confirmation bias is self-deception. It’s like a drug numbing you to the reality. However, always look for ways to prove your hypothesis wrong. That is look at the world without the need to look for instances to please your ego.

Wrapping Up

There are about 100 common mental errors. The errors above are the most common. Also, though they might weaken your mental strength, it does not mean your mind is broken. Simply recognizing them is the first step towards making better decisions.

We love to hear from our readers. So share your thoughts in the comments below and do share.

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Are you taking the necessary steps to 10X your life and business?

While I thought I was doing plenty in 2018, I realized I needed to find ways to accomplish more in 2019. I knew I was capable of being and doing more, both in business and in life.

After being hooked on personal development for the past few years, I wanted to take a new approach in 2019. Instead of attending more seminars or reading more books, I wanted to hire a high performance coach.

While I love attending seminars, sometimes a coach can really take your life or business to unparalleled heights.

I’m currently in a 3-month coaching program with a high performance coach and it’s been a transformational experience. He’s taught me more about the brain, productivity, and habits way more than any seminar or book.

I wanted to share these huge lessons with you so that you can get the benefit as well.

Who is Jim Fortin?

My coach, Jim Fortin, is a high-performance coach who’s taught subconscious persuasion and influence to thousands of elite professionals. He’s also been a master hypnotist, coached high-level CEO’s, and is a certified NLP practitioner.

Here are some of the biggest lessons that can help you move the needle in 2019.

7 Lessons from a High Performance Coach

1. Identity is Everything

If you look at the best personal development content, like Jim Rohn or Ed Mylett, they all talk about the importance of your identity. Sometimes referred to as self-image.

Jim stresses this point in all of his content for a reason. Very simply, you can’t outperform who you think you are aka, your identity.

If you think you’re someone who makes $100,000 per year, it’ll be incredibly difficult to make much more. If you think of yourself as an overweight person, it’s likely you will stay that way.

Identity is probably the reason you can’t seem to get out of your own way. It’s like trying to speed up with the emergency brakes on. 

Most of your beliefs are formed in your childhood years, especially the first 7-8 years. You’re programmed by family, friends, and society for what you are and how you should be in the world. Luckily, you can change your identity if it’s holding you back.

As Jim is an NLP practitioner and brain expert, he says the two ways to change your identity are through repetition and hypnosis. Once you change how you see yourself, you can change anything in your life that isn’t working.

2. Check Your Stories

Let me ask you.. What stories are you telling yourself on a daily basis? Do you ever slow down enough to actually listen to your own stories?

According to Psychology Today, up to 70% of human thoughts are negative. And 91% of your thoughts are the same as the day before! You can’t live an extraordinary life with negative mental chatter happening every single day.

One of the habits of high achievers is they have incredible self-awareness. They understand what’s going on in their head and can evaluate if it’s helping or hurting. Jim always says, “Get quiet and silence your mind.”

You can do this with a daily meditation practice and by being very intentional in your thinking. Like Tim Ferris found in his best-seller, Tools of Titans, 80% of high performers have some sort of daily mindfulness practice.

If you want to change your life, change what you’re saying to yourself on a daily basis!

3. 70% = DONE … 100% = FAILURE  

Let me ask…”Is perfectionism ruining your life?” One call with Jim and I realized my “perfectionism” was ruining my business.

In 2018 I struggled to wait until things were “perfect” before completing them. Subsequently, this led to procrastination and frustration as I couldn’t seem to get things done. 

My new motto is 70% done equals perfect. 100% done equals failure.

4. Time Management Creates High Performers

Do you ever wonder how some people make millions while others can barely pay the bills? Obviously, skills and education play their part, but a big component is time management. How you spend your days will determine if you reach your goals or not.

As Jim has worked alongside thousands of selling professionals and high-level entrepreneurs as a high performance coach, he explained this is one of the biggest factors of success.

Here’s how he recommends managing your time:

• Use a productivity planner to map out your day in advance
• Do the stuff that will move your life and business forward by 12 pm
• Use the Pomodoro technique to work 25 minutes straight then take off 5 minutes

5. Master Sales and Persuasion

Jim Fortin has taught subconscious persuasion and influence for years to sales professionals and high-level entrepreneurs. Whether you’re running your own business or working for someone else, persuasion and sales should be your top priority.

If you can’t sell yourself or your product, you’re not going to succeed at high levels. Spend time learning new skills, going to events, and working on your sales skills.

This one skill could completely change your business or career, which will absolutely change your life.

6. Quit Caring About Judgment of Others

Jim is big on this and I think it’s a lesson everyone can learn from as well. Stop caring about what other people think about you! It’s not your job to make everyone like you.

As Winston Churchill said, “You have enemies? Good. That means you’ve stood up for something, sometime in your life.”

Your goal in life shouldn’t be to live a life that makes others happy. It’s to live a life that makes you happy.

People are going to judge you either way. You might as well live a life that is true to yourself so you don’t end up with regret.

7. Change Your Habits, Change Your Life

The final lesson I got from Jim was the importance of habits and how they shape your life. You are your habits, both the good ones and the bad ones.

If you want life to change, quit trying to make big changes. Instead, look at your daily habits and see which ones are setting you up for success and failure.

Final Thoughts

To create lasting change in 2019, start working from the inside, not from the outside. Prior to working with Jim, I was always trying to do, do, do to create new results.

Instead of looking inside and asking, “Who was I being to create these results in my life.”  Before trying to do more, start asking yourself this one question: “Who I need to be to get the results that I want to achieve in my life?”

Never forget, everything you will ever need is already inside of you. Use these lessons from a high performance coach and remember, It’s up to you to take 100% responsibility and create the results you deserve.

The post 7 Key Lessons From A High Performance Coach That Will Unlock Your Potential appeared first on Fearless Motivation - Motivational Videos & Music.

I’m not talking about smoking, overeating or drinking too much alcohol, but I am talking about something equally addictive, and possibly just as harmful.

I’m talking about your smartphone addiction.

Did you know that the average person checks her phone 110 times a day? That’s crazy!

Here are some more statistics that might surprise you about cell phone addiction:

• Three-quarters of people check their phone first thing when they wake up.
• 1 in 3 smartphone users wakes in the night to check their phones (it’s 50 percent for people 18-24).
• Researchers found high mobile phone use was associated with stress and sleep disturbances for women.
• The same study found that high mobile phone use was associated with sleep disturbances and symptoms of depression in men.
• Long periods of cell phone use cause you to arch your neck and hold your body in a strange posture. This can lead to chronic back pain.

Look, I’m not suggesting that cellphones are bad and that you should give them up. It’s not realistic and they’re very beneficial in a lot of cases.

I carry mine daily but I am saying to become aware of how often you’re using it and how it might be harming parts of your life.

Why?

Recent studies have linked social networking to depression and anxiety. Since 2010, around the time when most people got smartphones, searches on Google for depression and anxiety rose incrementally. Here’s how to tell if you have a problem and how you can solve it. 

5 Phone Addiction Warning Signs

It wasn’t until I became an entrepreneur in 2017 that I realized just how much I was on my phone. When I went from a 9-5 to earning every dollar on my own, I realized what a time suck it is.

Here’s how you know you might have a problem with your phone:

1. You check your phone in the middle of the night. Seriously, what app will help you sleep better (other than a meditation app)?
2. You text-walk. This happens to a lot of us but if you’re running into people and missing out on life because you’re looking down, you might have a problem.
3. You can’t help but use your phone when face to face with others. Do you fear real-world conversations and instead choose to watch a video or scroll through social media?  
4. Your phone is your constant bathroom companion. Do you really need it in there all the time?
5. You get anxious when you forget your phone. Think back to the last time you left your phone somewhere. Even if you knew where you left it and you’re still anxious, this might mean a dependency problem.

7 Ways to Take Control of Phone Addiction & Take Back Your Life

1. Acknowledge You Are In Control

First off, who’s in charge, you or your phone? You of course! The reason you’re checking your phone so much is that you’re in the habit of checking your phone.

Any habit, whether good or bad, is hard to break as your brain sees habits as a way of survival. Obviously, checking your phone 100X a day or smoking a pack of cigarettes isn’t a good habit but your brain doesn’t realize that.

It’s up to you acknowledge you are in control first off. Then, use the other steps below to change your habits.

2. Get Rid of Apps | Phone Addiction

How many apps on your phone are actually helping you become more successful in life? Most likely, apps are just sucking time away from working towards your goals and dreams.

One app that might be worth downloading is one that tracks your usage. This way you can figure out which apps are taking up the most of your precious time.

For example, Instagram now lets you know how much time you spend on the app within your setting. Sometimes, I look back and am appalled I spend so much time on there mindlessly scrolling.

If you’re using social media too much, make sure you’re following motivational pages or limiting your time to certain parts of the day.

3. Turn Off Notifications

Notifications are one of the biggest distractions that are killing your productivity. Whether its email, Facebook, or something else, notifications can make it nearly impossible to stay focused.

Because one notification can lead you to email, social media or texting. Turn off all notifications and I can almost guarantee your phone time will go down a ton.

And your productivity will skyrocket!

4. Take Short Phone Free Vacations

Remember, right now you’re in the habit of checking your phone frequently. But with a few tweaks, you can learn to live without it.

Start by taking a mini phone vacation by putting it in a drawer for an evening or 3-4 hour chunk of time. Tell people that you regularly communicate with that you’re taking a phone break and I’m sure they will understand.

Learn to live without it for a few hours and you will find time for other things you love doing. And not find yourself as dependent on your device.

5. Pay Attention | Phone Addiction

Not only is your phone robbing you from other things in life, sometimes its extremely dangerous. People die every year from taking selfies, looking down on their phone at crosswalks and texting and driving.

Don’t let your phone ruin your life. Be mindful of when you are using it and make sure you’re not endangering yourself or your others!

6. Don’t Take It To Dinner

Unless you’re a food blogger who needs to take pictures of your meal for work, leave it in the car or at home. It’s amazing how much more present you will feel and how you can focus on a real conversation.

If you must take it to the meal, make sure to leave it in your pocket or purse. Even having it on the table is a subconscious reminder that it’s there and will make it easy to check for notification.

7. Set a Digital Detox Alarm

Each night, at 9 pm I have an alarm on my phone go off. At that point, I switch to airplane mode or leave it in another room until 8am the next morning.

Friends and family have learned that I’m basically unavailable during those times. If you can’t do this, make sure to at least take an hour off at night and in the morning to give your eyes and brain a rest.

Final Thoughts on Your Phone Addiction

Hopefully, these tips can help you live a much better life with less phone time involved. Remember, you run the device, it doesn’t run you.

If you’re finding yourself struggling, don’t’ beat yourself up. You’re not alone.

The people who create them intentionally make them addicting so you stay on them longer. Start using some of these strategies and I promise you can beat phone addiction and will love your new life.

The post How to Break Your Phone Addiction Once and For All appeared first on Fearless Motivation - Motivational Videos & Music.

In fact, studies show that 92% of all New Year’s resolutions fail and most of them by February.

But have you ever wondered why those resolutions fail so quickly? Is it because of low willpower, improper goal setting or something else?

To me, I always thought it was a combination of lacking willpower and not setting the right type of goals. But after reading a few books and learning from Dr. Bruce Lipton, I was very wrong.

While those might play a part, the main issue is actually your subconscious identity, also known as your self-image. Your self-image is everything.

As Maxwell Maltz said in the personal development classic, Psycho-Cybernetics, “Self-image is the key to human personality and human behavior. Change the self-image and you change the personality and the behavior. The self-image sets the boundaries of individual accomplishment. It defines what you can and cannot do.”

Why Resolutions Fail | Neuroscience

Most people set resolutions based on something that isn’t aligned with their identity, which is why they fail so quickly. They use willpower for a week or two but at the end of the day, it doesn’t align with their identity. This why change feels so hard.

As Tony Robbins said, “Identity drives behavior.”

Your identity shapes your beliefs, which shape your stories, and behaviors in the world. This is known as the logical level in NLP (neuro-linguistic programming) which is commonly taught by Tony Robbins and other high-performance coaches. 

So if your identity isn’t aligned with the change you’re trying to make, change is going to feel impossible. It’s will feel like you’re trying to accelerate but still have the emergency brakes on.

Identifying Your Old Identity | Neuroscience

Most of us are operating from our past identity as we are all programmed at a young age. When we’re kids, our parents and society help shape our identity. Even though you might not realize it, you’re operating from a childhood self-image. 

For example, if you’ve always struggled to make money or lose weight, you’ve probably blamed yourself or lack of discipline or willpower. But in reality, the reason you haven’t been able to do those things is that you have a subconscious belief that doesn’t align with your goal.

The reason change feels so hard is that you’re trying to fight your identity.

As Dr. Bruce Lipton said, “95 percent of your life comes from the subconscious program. So by definition, your life is a printout of your subconscious programs. In contrast, anything that you have to work hard at, put a lot of effort into or anything you have to struggle for to make it happen, is a result of your programs not supporting that.”

Research has found that your subconscious (identity) drives 95% of the behavior you do on a daily basis. Tony Robbins, Wayne Dyer, and all the great personal development leaders talk about this constantly in seminars and events.

Essentially, your subconscious programs might be sabotaging you without you even realizing it. So before you set another goal, look into your past to better understand your identity.

If you’ve struggled at something in life for a while, it’s because you have an old, outdated belief that is not letting you stay committed to your goal. Once you identify the old belief systems, then you can start to reprogram your subconscious to achieve more than ever before.

How to Reprogram Your Identity | Neuroscience

Remember, human beings are basically operating from old programs and beliefs we formed when we were kids. The neuroscience we operate with needs upgrading. If you don’t like something about your identity, it can be changed.

Instead of using willpower and failing like so many people, you need to learn how to start making a change from the inside out.

Here are some of the ways that can help you reprogram your identity and create new belief systems.

1. Self-Hypnosis

Self-hypnosis isn’t like it is portrayed in the movies. It’s the exact opposite.

You’re just in a very relaxed state which makes it easier to access your subconscious and make the necessary change. You can use self-hypnosis audio and some forms of meditation to impress a new set of beliefs and identity to your subconscious.

But you can’t do it just once, you need to repeat it over and over again. As the subconscious is just a habit mind, you need to work consistently to retrain your habits.

2. Repetition

Once your identity is formed around seven or eight years old, you begin to establish habits. And your habits are formed by repeating something over and over and over again. Think about learning to ride a bike or drive a car for the first time.

It’s all done through repetition. Practicing, repeating, and practicing until it becomes unconscious.

And that’s exactly how you rewire your subconscious, through constant repetition. That’s why it’s so important to affirm your goals or new habits on a regular basis. Preferably you want to work on changing them morning, noon, and night.

Repetition is the key to mastering your mind. You can’t just create a goal or try to change a habit only once. You need to do it over and over again.

3. Major Life Events

The other main way might happen unintentionally. Every once in a while, something happens out of the ordinary that can help you make a huge change from a life-changing event.

These events can come in the form of apparent crisis such as a loss of a loved one, major emergency or even the birth of a child. The impact of these moments might be so unique that they call forth a completely shift your identity and way of being in the world.

Final Thoughts on Changing Your Identity | Neuroscience

If you haven’t made the changes you want in life, give yourself a break and forgive yourself. Few people ever understand how to make a lasting change as this type of content isn’t taught in the education system.

As Dr. Bruce Lipton said, “We are not victims of anything other than the programs we are operating from. Change the programs you are operating from. If your subconscious programs match the wishes and desires of the conscious mind, your life will be one continuous honeymoon experience for as long as you live on this planet.”

Give up on willpower, understand the neuroscience behind your decisions and start reprogramming your subconscious mind to create lasting change in 2019 and beyond.

The post How to Harness Neuroscience to Change Your Life appeared first on Fearless Motivation - Motivational Videos & Music.